A septic tank filter is designed to keep small particles out of the drain field. The filter is made of slotted plastic or nylon brushes.

The filter sits in the outlet pipe at the back of the septic tank. The small slots in the plastic filter and the crevices in the nylon brush filter trap and contain small particles not broken down in the tank. Typical fine sludge particles, hair, and small hardened pieces of grease are typically what gets trapped in the filter.

If your tank has a filter that is functioning properly it may need to be cleaned every 6 months to every 2 years. The cleaning intervals are dictated by tank size and household usage. Small tanks 500 gallons to 900 gallons do not process and breakdown waste as well as a 1,500 gallon tank would.

Cleaning the filter is simple if there is a manhole or access cover installed to ground level. If the septic tank outlet lid is buried the process can be difficult and is not recommended for homeowners.

1 —

Locate the septic tank outlet lid or manhole

2 —

Find The Filter Set Inside The 4” PVC Outlet Pipe

3 —

Cleaning the filter

4 —

Reinstall Filter

5 —

Close the lid

Cleaning the filter is not the end of septic tank care pumping and cleaning should also be done every couple of years depending on tank size and usage..

If a filter is clogging more often than every 6 months, have a professional inspect your system to find the cause. When filters clog often it is usually because of running toilets. Which is a relatively simple fix. It is not recommended to remove the filter from your septic system. It protects the drain field from failure caused by particles escaping the tank.